How to Open Bubbly Like a Champ

You’re not in a World Series locker room. The smooth handling of a sparkler is one of the hallmarks of a wine sophisticate. Here’s how, according to our Wine Insider David Lynch:

STEP 1
Remove the foil from around the “cage” that holds the cork in place. Use the tab provided, or supplement it with the knife on your corkscrew to make a clean cut.

STEP 2
While firmly holding the neck of the bottle and placing your thumb atop the cork, unscrew and loosen the cage and remove it in a smooth, quick motion, returning your thumb to the cork.

STEP 3
Tilt the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from your guests. Gently twist the bottom of the bottle while holding the cork, pressing back against the cork as necessary to keep it from popping out.

STEP 4
Continue to counter the wine’s pressure with your own until the cork is nearly out. Tilt the cork slightly to one side to allow gas to escape slowly and quietly, like the hiss of air from a bicycle tire.